The present invention relates to devices for mounting a handgun to a user for ready access.
The handgun is a weapon conventionally employed by public safety officers and military personnel in the line of duty. It is also carried by civilians for purposes of self-defense. In order to be readily available to project force when needed, the handgun must be supported on the user in a convenient and accessible fashion. A wide range of belt-mounted handgun holsters are known, as well as holsters supported by other rigs to facilitate concealed carry. A typical handgun holster may have a cup-like receptacle for the weapon. Such a holster requires the handgun to be withdrawn upwardly, requiring that the region above the holster be kept clear of other equipment or accessories. Moreover, vertical draw can be hampered by enclosed situations, and may increase the time required to bring the firearm into action.
Handguns may be provided with optional accessories such as flashlights, laser sights, and suppressors, which attach beneath or forward of the gun's barrel. In many cases, specialized holsters are required to accommodate the handgun with an attached accessory.
What is needed is a handgun holster that can readily accommodate firearms with or without accessories, and which permits convenient extraction of the weapon without requiring a vertical draw.